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Hereās what you need to know
Robinhood filed to go public. The retail investment platform earned $7.5 million in 2020, its first profitable year, according to documents sent to the SEC.
130 countries have agreed to a 15% global minimum corporate tax. Previously reluctant China and India are now on board.
The US handed Bagram airfield back to Afghanistan. For nearly 20 years, the base was the epicenter for the āwar on terror.ā
H&M sales fell in China. The 23% drop in the first quarter of 2021 could be the result of boycotts that followed company statements on alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.
A wealth management firm wants to withdraw from Britneyās conservatorship. Bessemer Trust was about to take over as co-conservator, but now says recent revelations from the singer have changed its mind.
The town at the center of Canadaās deadly heatwave burned down in a wildfire. This footage shows flames engulfing Lytton, British Columbia.
US sprinter ShaāCarri Richardson reportedly tested positive for marijuana. If confirmed, the world-leading athlete would miss the Olympic Games.
What to watch for
The US June jobs report is out todayāitās an important indicator of labor shortages and inflation expectations, as well as the Fedās future plans. Analysts are predicting 700,000 new jobs, which would be a big uptick from May. ADPās monthly report of private payrolls showed companies added 692,000 workers in June, above expectations but down from 886,000 in May.
All signs point to continued unpredictability ahead:
šµ While CEOs canāt stop talking about the labor shortage, workers holding out for higher wages shouldnāt surprise low-paying employersāespecially in the restaurant industry.
š Dissatisfied workers are quitting and retiring in record numbers. (If youāre thinking about leaving your job, our chatbot can tell you if itās the right move.)
š¦ Thereās a bright spot for 16- to 19-year-olds: Itās the best year in decades for teens to get summer jobs.
Mapping offshore wind potential
Offshore wind is a huge opportunity for the US but the fishing industry is worried about its businesses. Notably, the lobster industry pushed for the moratorium on wind farms near Maineās coast that advanced through the local state legislature this week.
Maine is now set to study the effect of wind turbines operating in its waters, but Europeās been researching the effects of wind on lobstering areas for years. What itās learned can help steer both wind and fishing industries in the US.
Satellites are making pollution harder to hide
In May, the shipping vessel X-Press Pearl suffered a catastrophic fire and sank, spilling its cargo of chemicals and microplastics into the sea. Residents are already seeing devastating impacts on local marine life. The owner of the ship and Sri Lankaās government say that no oil has spilled from the vessel.
Satellites disagree. Analysis of radar data (shown below overlaid on a satellite map in Orbitalās dashboard) suggest that hundreds of tons of oil spilled from the vessel, represented in gray.
Data like these, from the newest generation of small satellites, can help emergency responders, but could also be used as evidence in legal disputes over who is liable for the consequences of this disaster.
ā¦ Satellites never sleep, and weāre covering what the eyes in the sky can and canāt do for those of us on Earth. If your own eyes are having a tough time staying open lately, youāre not alone. Take advantage of our Sleep Week sale, and grab a membership for 40% offājust use code SLEEPWEEK.
Handpicked Quartz
(š The first one is so good, we took it out from behind the paywall.)
š A ruling on Olympic swim caps evokes decades of racism in the sport
āļø Both āmade in Indiaā vaccines are in the middle of international political storms
š Read Xi Jinpingās full 100th anniversary speech and then notice who sends their congrats
š The worldās social media giants admit they canāt protect women online
š¦ An analysis of 250 retailers shows what online shopping does to profit margins
šæ Indiaās renewable energy sector is set to witness a clash between the countryās two richest men
Surprising discoveries
A Chinese police academy is auctioning off dogs who didnāt make the cut. Cowardly, small pups who werenāt great at following commands will find new homes with civilians.
It didnāt take long for ancient Sicilian elephants to shrink to the size of horses. New research shows it could have happened in as few as 40 generations.
Jeff Bezos is bringing an aerospace pioneer on his Blue Origins flight. Wally Funk, 82, trained to be an astronaut in 1961 but NASA never let her fly.
The toilet on SpaceXās Crew Dragon will have a 360-degree view. Itās located inside the glass dome at the nose of the spacecraft.
Bull sharks make friends with each otherāand exclude others. āYou canāt swim with us!ā
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, cowardly dogs, and companionable sharks to hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our iOS app and becoming a member. Todayās Daily Brief was brought to you by Hasit Shah, Tim Fernholz, Clarisa Diaz, Susan Howson, and Liz Webber.